Apparatuses for handling piece goods are often used in production system for the mass production of articles or piece goods, in which production system the articles or piece good are transported between different treatment devices or handling apparatuses in a more or less closed product flow. This product flow has to be divided in different, spaced-apart sub-groups depending on the capacity and structure of the treatment devices or handling apparatuses located further downstream. For example, in the beverage industry it is often required that upstream of a packaging machine beverage containers incoming in a mass flow, such as bottles or cans, are grouped into packs of a convenient size suitable for sale. In this case, the apparatus is referred to as a grouping device.
Alternatively, such a handling apparatus also serve to separate piece goods incoming in a mass flow for further processing, especially by spacing them apart from each other.
If in the present context the wording grouping or separation of articles, piece goods, beverage containers or the like is used, it usually means the production of gaps in a continuous product flow or mass flow. The product flow continues after the grouping, but now the individual articles or piece goods are combined into groups of two, four, six or even more articles or piece goods, the articles or piece goods within the group being close to one another or being in close proximity to one another. The thereby formed individual groups are separated from each other by a defined distance or gap. After the separation of articles or piece goods out of the product stream, the product stream continues. But now the articles or piece goods are separated from each other; in particular the articles or piece goods are spaced apart from one another at a defined distance.
The number of articles or piece goods per group or the separation of the articles or piece goods depends on the packaging requirements of the packaging machine located downstream in the production process. The thus grouped article compilations can be combined, for example, by means of an outer packaging. For example, such an article group can be enveloped by a shrink film, which is then shrunk by heat onto the article group, thereby producing a so-called pack, foil pack or shrink pack. Alternatively the grouped articles can be combined using a cardboard packaging. To envelop the article compilation with a respective cardboard packaging, for example, the article group is pushed onto a respective foldable carton blank. The carton blank comprises side parts protruding laterally or on all sides over the base of the article group. The protruding parts of the carton blank are then folded upwards around the article group. Another possibility of providing the grouped articles with an outer packaging comprises the positioning of the articles on a so-called tray and enveloping the group of articles on the tray with shrinking film. Moreover the articles can be combined as so called strap packs, wherein a horizontal strapping or two or more horizontal strappings are wrapped around the group of articles, the strapping(s) being under tension to tighten the articles together.
For example, the separated articles can be fed into devices that produce mixed packs, whereby different articles or the like are combined as a group.
Different grouping methods for managing such product flows are known from the prior art. For example, the DE 31 44 449 A1 discloses a grouping device with divider fingers mounted on traverses, the divider fingers protruding from below into a closed product flow, in order to produce gaps between the articles or products. The gaps in the product flow and thereby the grouping of the articles or products is achieved because of the difference in speed between the conveyor track and the traverse. The traverses run in a closed orbit that is located in a plane perpendicular to the transport plane. However, in such grouping devices no quick adjustments to different sizes of product groups, that are to be grouped by the grouping device, are possible. Should an adjustment be required or should the whole machine be adapted to other article sizes or products sizes, a stopping of the machine is essential in order to make the necessary mechanical adjustments and settings.
Basically, it is advantageous to use divider elements well known from prior art, the divider elements being appropriately spaced apart from one another, for the division of groups of articles or piece goods from the incoming mass flow or for the separation of articles or piece goods from the incoming mass flow. Especially so-called divider fingers can be used as divider elements. The divider elements are usually pre-mounted at respective pre-defined distances on divider bars. When changing the product, the divider bars have to be adjusted to the new product according to its requirements. This usually requires the use of tools and leads to downtime in production due to the amount of time required for the changeover. An adjustment is necessary, for example, when the production process is to be switched to other articles of a different size. An adjustment is also required when a different number of articles is to be combined into a new packaging format. As a result, the requirements change due to the desired mew group formation or due to the respective desired distances between the product groups or due to the respective desired distances between the articles or piece goods. Also a change to a different outer packaging can require an appropriate adjustment of the handling apparatus.
Document DE 21 10 198 A1 discloses a grouping device for a facility for packing and unpacking of goods; the grouping device comprising interchangeable restraining members; the restraining members consisting of limit stops that are rigidly connected to a common plate. The guiding device comprises a set of restraining members which are interchangeable and can be adapted to the diameter of the bottles. The restraining members are supported on the bottom part by two pins each or the like. Furthermore the restraining members are fixed to the bottom part by means of a locking element, which consists of a retractable finger, the retractable finger being displaceable within a pin. Hereby, the position and/or number of the restraining members mounted to the guiding device can be changed, but this change is very time consuming and labor intensive.
EP 2357145 B1 also discloses a divider bar with adjustable fingers, whereby the divider bar can be used for several different formats. In this case, spacer elements are disposed between the fingers; the spacer elements enabling the desired adjustability of the divider bar. However, the adjustment is still very time-consuming and requires the use of tools.
DE 10 2011 014 495 A1 describes an apparatus for grouping piece goods. The apparatus may comprise an optional parking sector which can be used, for example, for adjusting the divider means to different settings of the transport path. Furthermore, it is possible to use this parking sector for an intermediate storage of unused divider means.
In all known divider devices and/or grouping devices it is alternatively possible to remove the divider bars completely and replace them with new divider bars, whereby the new divider bars are adapted to the new format. However, for such exchanges to take place, the whole system must be stopped, in order to interchange complete divider bars with new divider bars having divider fingers spaced in appropriate intervals. The exchange always requires the use of suitable tools.
According to the current state of the art, the complete divider bar is removed in such a format change and is then replaced with a new format-dependent divider bar. An operator has to bring the divider bar into a neutral position by using a crank or the like auxiliary means and has to release at least two screw connections. This is usually done on a service side that is accessible to the operator so that he can remove the entire divider bar. Since the operator side of the machine and the service side of the machine are normally arranged on opposite sides of the grouping device, the operator must walk around the machine in order to release the second screw. To mount the new divider bar, the operator has to proceed accordingly. For a complete product change this must be done several times according to the number of divider bars required within the device. Since the grouping device is usually part of a much larger overall facility, under certain circumstances it may be necessary that the operator has to walk around the entire facility several times during the change of the divider bars. This increases the production downtimes significantly.
Furthermore a plurality of fully pre-assembled and fitted divider bars must be provided and especially be held in store for different products, articles or piece goods.
DE 10 2004 042 474 A1 discloses a typical grouping process, wherein a plurality of rows of piece goods are divided into several groups of piece goods, whereby gaps are formed in between the groups of piece goods. The dividing and gap formation is achieved by means of dividing fingers inserted from below into the respective stream of piece goods.